Avenging Angelo

Sylvester Stallone spins a lighter, more romantic version of his tough guy image in Avenging Angelo. For his entire life, Frankie (Stallone) has been protecting Jennifer (Madeleine Stowe), the daughter of a mob boss named Angelo (Anthony Quinn)--but she doesn't know it, any more than she knows that Angelo is her father. When Angelo gets hit, Frankie reveals the truth. Having just caught her husband with another woman, Jennifer isn't receptive to the rest of her life upended; but after accepting her heritage, she decides to avenge her father. If none of this sounds particularly funny, well, it isn't; the problem is, it's supposed to be. Avenging Angelo flounders in search of a coherent comic tone and never finds it. Stowe is always engaging and Stallone's softer touch is surprisingly appealing, but not a moment of this dopey script makes any sense. --Bret Fetzer